Career and Education Opportunities for Administrative Law Judges in Waco, Texas

There is a wide variety of career and education opportunities for administrative law judges in the Waco, Texas area. The national trend for administrative law judges sees this job pool growing by about 8.0% over the next eight years. Administrative law judges generally conduct hearings to decide or recommend decisions on claims concerning government programs or other government-related matters and prepare decisions.

Administrative law judges earn about $29 per hour or $62,250 annually on average in Texas and about $36 hourly or $76,940 annually on average nationally. Compared with people working in the overall category of Arbitration, people working as administrative law judges in Texas earn more. They earn less than people working in the overall category of Arbitration nationally. Administrative law judges work in a variety of jobs, including: appellate conferee, justice of the peace, and social services analyst.

The Waco area is home to seven schools of higher education, including one within twenty-five miles of Waco where you can get a degree as an administrative law judge. Given that the most common education level for administrative law judges is a Law degree, you can expect to spend about three years studying to be an administrative law judge if you already have a Bachelor's degree, or about seven years starting with a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Administrative Law Judge

In general, administrative law judges conduct hearings to decide or recommend decisions on claims concerning government programs or other government-related matters and prepare decisions. They also determine penalties or the existence and the amount of liability, or recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims, or compromise settlements.

Administrative law judges ready written opinions and decisions. They also explain to claimants how they can appeal rulings that go against them. Equally important, administrative law judges have to inspect and evaluate data on documents, such as claim applications, birth or death certificates, and physician or employer records. They are often called upon to talk with individuals or organizations involved in cases to obtain relevant data. Finally, administrative law judges recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or compromise settlements in line with laws and precedent decisions.

Every day, administrative law judges are expected to be able to read and understand documents and reports. They need to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they speak clearly.

It is important for administrative law judges to research and analyze laws, regulations and precedent decisions to ready for hearings and to establish conclusions. They are often called upon to authorize payment of valid claims and decide on method of payment. They also decide on existence and amount of liability in line with current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence. They are sometimes expected to rule on exceptions and admissibility of evidence. Somewhat less frequently, administrative law judges are also expected to issue subpoenas and administer oaths in preparation for formal hearings.

and conduct studies of appeals procedures in field agencies to insure adherence to legal requirements and to enable determination of cases. And finally, they sometimes have to authorize payment of valid claims and decide on method of payment.

Like many other jobs, administrative law judges must have exceptional integrity and be thorough and dependable.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Waco include:

Arbitrator. Facilitate negotiation and conflict resolution through dialogue. Resolve conflicts outside of the court system by mutual consent of parties involved.

Judge. Arbitrate, advise, or administer justice in a court of law. May sentence defendant in criminal cases according to government statutes. May determine liability of defendant in civil cases. May issue marriage licenses and perform wedding ceremonies.

Lawyer. Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, and manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.

Title Examiner. Search real estate records, examine titles, or summarize pertinent legal or insurance details for a variety of purposes. May compile lists of mortgages, contracts, and other instruments pertaining to titles by searching public and private records for law firms, real estate agencies, or title insurance companies.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Administrative Law Judge Training

Baylor University - Waco, TX

Baylor University, 500 Speight Ave., Waco, TX 76798. Baylor University is a large university located in Waco, Texas. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 14,541 students and an admission rate of 51%. Baylor University has a professional degree program in Law which graduated 158 students in 2008.

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LOCATION INFORMATION: Waco, Texas

Waco, Texas photo by Aboxorocks

Waco is situated in Mclennan County, Texas. It has a population of over 124,009, which has grown by 9.0% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Waco, 82, is well below the national average. New single-family homes in Waco are valued at $144,900 on average, which is well below the state average. In 2008, three hundred eighty-eight new homes were built in Waco, down from five hundred fifty the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Waco are educational services, health care, and accommodation and food services. For men, it is construction, educational services, and accommodation and food services. The average commute to work is about 18 minutes. More than 18.6% of Waco residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 7.4%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Waco is 7.4%, which is less than Texas's average of 8.1%.

The percentage of Waco residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 60.5%, is more than both the national and state average. El Calvario Presbyterian Church, Abundant New Life Assembly of God Church and Adams Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church are among the churches located in Waco. The most prominent religious groups are the Southern Baptist Convention, the Catholic Church and the United Methodist Church.

Waco is home to the Helen Marie Taylor Museum and the Potts Interchange as well as Heart O Texas Coliseum and Kathy Ball Park. Shopping malls in the area include Lake Air Shopping Center and Richland Shopping Center. Visitors to Waco can choose from Budget Inn, America's Best Inns and Best Western Old Main Lodge for temporary stays in the area.